Chapter 2

Assignment

Mark was waiting for them when they arrived, sitting at the desk reading some of the files.

'Hey, Chief,' he called. 'How was the Commissioner?'

'Furious,' replied Eve. 'I don't ever recall hearing language like that from him before.'

Mark looked from her to Ironside in shock.

'This is the same Commissioner we're talking about? Well, what did you say to him?'

'I said that our chief suspect in the homicides was John Carlson,' Ironside replied.

'Carlson? John Carlson?'

'Yes, Mark. John Carlson? Why does everyone around here have such difficultly with that?'

'It's a big name, that's why,' replied Mark.

'But really, Chief. Carlson?' echoed Eve incredulously. 'The John Carlson?'

The disbelief was starting to annoy him. He scowled.

'Yes, Eve, the John Carlson.'

'But why him?'

'He has the connections and the money,' started Ironside.

'So do at least ten other men in the city,' objected Eve.

'He also has the taste for blood,' said Ironside. 'A ring like that would be exactly what he would organise for his own amusement.'

Ironside saw Eve and Mark exchange glances.

'I've never heard anything about that,' said Eve. 'Nothing at all.'

'I knew him a long time ago, from before he cleaned up his act and went straight as a fight promoter. And made all the big money.'

'I see.'

'But John Carlson, Chief,' said Mark. 'No wonder the Commissioner wasn't pleased. If you're wrong, he's going to have a lot of explaining to do.'

'If I'm right, I'm going to have a lot of explaining to do.'

'You're telling me, man,' said Mark, a grin suddenly across his face. 'And, even if you are right, taking Carlson down isn't going to be easy.'

Ironside grunted a response. There was no doubt his team supported him but Mark, as always, had gone straight to the crux of the problem. Getting to John Carlson wasn't going to be easy at all. In the old days it would have been more simple, Carlson had a list of vices as long as his bank account, but not anymore. On the surface, Carlson was as shiny and clean as the Commissioner himself.

'What's our first move, Chief?' asked Eve.

Ironside looked at the two people in front of him thoughtfully. He had the start of an idea, but he didn't want to say anything to either of them at the moment. The best way to approach this was to get as much information as possible, before he put any plan into action.

'Where's Ed?' he asked.

'He'll be back late,' said Mark. 'He called in. Seems he's having a hard time.'

'Well, it's not going to get any easier,' said Ironside. 'What about you? How did you get on at the Hall of records.'

Mark smiled and handed him a small pile of folders with a flourish.

'I've found another three possibles,' said Mark. 'All young men, less than thirty, all beaten. All dead. And then there's this.'

Mark handed a slim file to the Chief.

'What's this?'

'I was saving this, Chief,' said Mark. 'Ronnie Stevens.'

The Chief opened the file and flicked through it.

'What's so special about Ronnie Stevens?' asked Eve.

Ironside frowned, trying to think back. He had heard the name before, recently.

'Stevens… Stevens… a car accident?'

'Yes, Chief, hit and run.'

'Ten months ago. But before that he was picked up in the street, beaten and dumped, just like all the others. MO's not exactly the same but a close match. And he was the first, a good two months before all the rest. It could have been a trial run, then someone got him out of the way.'

'Good work, Mark. How did you find him?'

'I was speaking to the desk sergeant. He remembered him and pointed me in the direction of his file.'

'Interesting,' said Ironside slowly. 'And maybe our first connection to Carlson.'

Mark grinned again at Ironside, but Eve looked confused.

'A connection?' asked Eve.

'Stevens was a small-time hustler,' said Mark. 'Mostly fights, according to his record.'

'But did he know Carlson?' said Ironside. 'And, maybe more importantly, did Carlson know him.'

'I'll get right on it, Chief,' said Mark. 'I know a few cats who…'

'No you will not,' Ironside told him sharply.

The other man looked surprised, but he didn't question his boss. Ironside turned to Eve, handing her the files.

'Get everything you can one the people in these files. Records, family, friends, and make sure we get the autopsy reports too.'

'Sure, Chief,' she said. 'And then…?' asked Eve.

'That will keep you busy enough.'

There was an uncomfortable silence. Eve and Mark were looking at him, waiting for him to say something else. But instead, Ironside wheeled himself off towards the other table. Neither of his two staff members had moved. He looked back round at them with a fierce scowl.

'What are you waiting for?' he snapped. 'A promotion?'

It was already dark, and Eve had left for the evening by the time Sergeant Brown reappeared at Headquarters.

Ironside himself had all but given up on seeing Ed before the next day, but not long after a dinner of chili and bourbon, and as Ironside was finishing off the last of the urgent paperwork, the sergeant appeared at the door.

It was hard to believe that this was the same man who had started the day in such a good mood. Ed walked forwards down the ramp and sat down heavily in one of the chairs by the desk, just beside his boss. He dropped the files he carried on the desk with a satisfying slap, sat back and closed his eyes for a few moments.

'It's all done, Chief,' he said.

Ironside regarded his sergeant with mild surprise.

'All of them?'

'All of them. Every single one done and dusted, Chief.'

Ironside let him sit for a moment.

'Well, are you going to tell us about it?' he asked. 'Or are you just going to sit there sulking for the rest of the evening?'

Ed pushed himself upright, giving the Chief a dulled smile.

'You want the short version or the long version?'

'Any version would be an improvement,' snapped Ironside.

'I struck out, in either version,' Ed replied, the disappointment and frustration showing clearly in his voice. 'I've got nothing to add to the homicide reports. These guys were nobodies. They worked, they shopped, they lived, but no one really remembers them. I couldn't find friends. I couldn't find family. It's like they just appeared out of nowhere.'

'So, another productive day,' said Ironside. His sergeant looked back without smiling.

'What about you?' asked Ed, glancing at Mark.

'Eve and I have been busy with the files,' said Mark. 'All day.'

'Files?' echoed Ed. 'Well, I hope you both had a pleasant time, while I was out on the streets.'

'We do have a suspect.'

For a moment, Ed looked pleased, but then he must have seen the expression on Mark's face.

'Who?' he asked the Chief. There was a short pause. 'I'm not gonna like it, am I?'

'John Carlson,' said Mark, beating Ironside to the punch.

Ed gave a short laugh before he realised that neither of the other two men were smiling. He stared at his boss.

'He's not kidding, is he?' asked Ed.

'He's not kidding,' replied Mark.

'John Carlson…?'

'Yes, Ed, John Carlson. Is that a problem for you?' Ironside's tone almost dared Ed to question him, but the sergeant knew him too well to rise to the offered bait. After a moment, Ed just shrugged.

'Don't worry, sergeant, and don't give up just yet,' said Ironside, his smile ironic. 'Eve has left another list for you to start on tomorrow morning. Don't bother coming in, just go straight from home.'

'You're sure I am allowed home?' said Ed. 'I wouldn't want you to think I was wasting time sleeping.'

'A good night's sleep isn't mandatory in this job, Sergeant. But I'll allow it just this once.'

Ed frowned, but after a moment, gave a slight smile. He glanced at his watch.

'Then I'll see you tomorrow sometime.'

'No chili?' said Mark. 'I saved you some.'

Ed shook his head.

'You got a hot date?' asked Mark.

'Only with eight hours sleep,' replied Ed.

That night, Robert Ironside slept badly.

Immobilised, unable to toss and turn, he tried in vain to shift his position into something resembling comfort.

Undercover was the best way to go. It was the only way they were going to get answers fast enough.

The idea had been growing all day.

At first, he dismissed it as impractical, but after hearing what Ed had to say, and watching Mark and Eve struggle to find leads in the files, he had grown convinced that that was what was needed.

There was the question of permission from the Commissioner. He wasn't going to be best pleased. But Ironside had no doubt that Dennis would come round.

Mark had been a pro boxer once; he knew the right things to say, and the right places to go. Eve… Ironside mentally sighed when he thought of her… Eve was young, and pretty and blonde; that would attract the attention of a man like Carlson in a second. Having her close to their man would be an advantage. And Eve was good enough to pull it off.

The more he thought about it, the more Ironside was sure that was the way he had to go. If he was going to try for Carlson, he would have to be quick. They would only have one shot to take him down.

And it would be dangerous. Very, very dangerous, he had no doubts about that. No one in his team would flinch from their jobs, but none of them would be pleased with this assignment.

Mark wasn't going to like it. He wouldn't want to leave Ironside on his own to go undercover like this. Ironside didn't like to put him in danger, but he knew Mark well enough to know that he would be furious if he wasn't considered.

Eve wasn't going to like it, either. But like Mark, she would be insulted if she thought that Ironside didn't trust her enough to do her job. She was a highly competent police officer, trained in judo as well. She could certainly look after herself. But he didn't want to see her in the lion's den, so vulnerable. Even if Ed tailed her, she would still be on her own with possibly a very dangerous and ruthless man.

And Ed… he was going to be the least pleased of them all. He would be saddled with all the dull, necessary police work, all the small jobs, all the time-consuming tasks, as well as keeping an eye on Eve, and keeping everything ticking over in the office, not to mention helping Ironside himself. Ed was going to be swamped.

The simplest solution would to get outside help from within the department. But that would look too obvious. And the last thing Ironside wanted to be was obvious.

If they were going after Carlson, it had to be quick and quiet.

And it had to start tomorrow.